Air blowing apparatus

Abstract

An air blowing apparatus is oriented toward a windshield glass of a vehicle and includes an air fan assembly located adjacent to the windshield glass and an air nozzle connected to the air fan assembly via a duct such that a fluid flows therebetween. The air nozzle is located so as to be opposite the windshield glass and is configured to adjust the pressure and angle at which air is discharged toward the windshield glass in accordance with the driving environment of a vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An air blowing apparatus comprising:
 an air fan assembly located adjacent to a windshield glass; and 
 an air nozzle connected to the air fan assembly via a duct such that a fluid flows therebetween, the air nozzle being opposite the windshield glass, 
 wherein the air nozzle is configured to adjust a pressure and an angle at which air is discharged toward the windshield glass in accordance with a driving environment of a vehicle, and 
 wherein the air nozzle comprises:
 a nozzle housing comprising an opening connected to the duct and oriented toward the windshield glass; 
 a nozzle configured to discharge air introduced from the air fan assembly toward the opening; 
 a nozzle blade configured to guide flow of the discharged air in a horizontal direction; and 
 a nozzle cover configured to be opened when a pressure of the air that is discharged is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the air fan assembly comprises:
 a housing; 
 a motor assembly located inside the housing; 
 a blade configured to receive rotational force from the motor assembly; and 
 a flow guide cover configured to guide flow of air suctioned by rotation of the blade. 
 
     
     
       3. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the housing is located inside a cowl top cover assembly. 
     
     
       4. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein an angle at which the nozzle cover is opened is determined depending on a traveling speed of the vehicle. 
     
     
       5. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an angle restriction boss provided on an inner surface of the nozzle cover, the angle restriction boss being configured to control an angle at which the nozzle blade is inclined in the horizontal direction, 
 wherein the angle at which the nozzle blade is inclined in the horizontal direction is determined depending on an angle at which the nozzle cover is opened. 
 
     
     
       6. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the angle restriction boss is configured such that the angle at which the nozzle blade is inclined in the horizontal direction increases when the angle at which the nozzle cover is opened increases. 
     
     
       7. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a support member provided at one end of the nozzle cover inside the nozzle cover, the support member being configured to support an opened state of the nozzle cover. 
 
     
     
       8. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a latching member located at a portion in the air nozzle that corresponds to a position of the support member, the latching member being configured to fix the support member. 
 
     
     
       9. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the latching member supports the nozzle cover in a manner such that one end of the latching member catches on at least one support tooth formed at the support member. 
     
     
       10. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a protruding member formed adjacent to the latching member; and 
 a hinge member located adjacent to the support member so as to be opposite the protruding member, 
 wherein, when the nozzle cover is completely opened, the protruding member comes into contact with the hinge member such that the latching member is released from the support member. 
 
     
     
       11. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an elastic member provided at a rotation center shaft of the nozzle cover, the elastic member being configured to apply elastic force to the nozzle cover such that the nozzle cover returns to a closed state. 
 
     
     
       12. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to control a pressure and an angle at which air is discharged toward the windshield glass through the air nozzle. 
 
     
     
       13. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller controls an amount of compressed air that is discharged through the air nozzle based on a driving environment of the vehicle, and wherein the driving environment of the vehicle comprises data on a traveling speed of the vehicle received from a speed sensor and data on an amount of rainwater detected by a rain sensor. 
     
     
       14. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein, upon receiving a user's request for spraying washer liquid, the controller controls the air fan assembly to maximize an amount of compressed air that is discharged through the air nozzle. 
     
     
       15. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller controls an angle at which the nozzle cover is opened and an amount of compressed air that is discharged to improve aerodynamic performance in accordance with a driving environment of the vehicle. 
     
     
       16. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a washer nozzle located adjacent to the air nozzle, the air nozzle being configured to discharge compressed air and the washer nozzle being configured to spray washer liquid. 
 
     
     
       17. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a spring provided inside the nozzle housing, the spring being configured to apply elastic force to the nozzle blade in a lateral direction of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       18. An air blowing apparatus comprising:
 an air fan assembly located adjacent to a windshield glass; 
 an air nozzle connected to the air fan assembly via a duct such that a fluid flows therebetween, the air nozzle being opposite the windshield glass; 
 a controller configured to control a pressure and an angle at which air is discharged toward the windshield glass through the air nozzle; 
 wherein the air nozzle is configured to adjust a pressure and an angle at which air is discharged toward the windshield glass in accordance with a driving environment of a vehicle, and 
 wherein the controller controls an angle at which a nozzle cover is opened and an amount of compressed air that is discharged to improve aerodynamic performance in accordance with the driving environment of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
       19. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the controller controls an amount of compressed air that is discharged through the air nozzle based on the driving environment of the vehicle, and wherein the driving environment of the vehicle comprises data on a traveling speed of the vehicle received from a speed sensor and data on an amount of rainwater detected by a rain sensor. 
     
     
       20. The air blowing apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein, upon receiving a user's request for spraying washer liquid, the controller controls the air fan assembly to maximize an amount of compressed air that is discharged through the air nozzle.